Note: for the most up-to-date information on OPELA, please read this blog post.
Even the simplest things are difficult in a foreign country when you don’t speak the language. Recently I was in Shanghai, and one day I bought some corn on the cob. It was seriously glutinous, so I went to find a napkin. Have you ever tried miming ‘napkin’? The shopkeeper was very helpful but it took several frustrating attempts before he pointed me to a packet of tissues.
If travelling in a different country is challenging, imagine doing a whole degree in a second language.
45% of UTS students have a language background other than English.
I know how challenging it is to teach a subject in a class where there are students who seem not to comprehend spoken English and students who are highly articulate.
Many colleagues have also voiced their concern about providing support for all their students. We need to ensure that all students develop strong communication skills, so they can understand lectures and readings, communicate easily with their fellow students and graduate as confident communicators.
To help you and your students UTS has introduced language skills for academic success, which begins with the Online Post Enrolment Language Assessment (OPELA) screening. The OPELA screening will help you and your students identify their language needs. There’s a short video to explain the OPELA for students:
And for more information for staff, watch this video:
The OPELA is an online academic language screening tool. It measures the full range of language ability, assigns students to 3 different bands of proficiency, and helps you to identify the most appropriate support needed. Students are given the link and can log in anywhere. It takes 30 minutes and it’s marked automatically.
For example, in Engineering and IT:
- All UG students enrolling in the two first year core subjects do the OPELA.
- Students aren’t assigned to tutorials until they’ve completed the screening.
- Students who score in Band 1 are assigned to tutorials staffed by ESL-trained tutors. They do the same work as all the other students, but they get additional language support when they need it.
In 2017, all faculties will run OPELA in core subjects in 1st year UG and in some postgraduate courses. The OPELA is the first step to support you and your students in their language and learning at UTS.
By the way, Cānjīnzhǐ 餐巾纸 is the Chinese word for napkin.
Featured image CC by Shannon Kokoska
[…] if they are genuinely preparatory activities. This could include diagnostic testing (including OPELA, which can also be done off-campus); lab or other equipment orientations; general induction […]